Sole-pressing machine.



E. E. FOSTER.

SOLE PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATRON FILED JULY 1, 1916.

1,326,489. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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E. FOSTER. SOLE PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1916.

1 26,489. Patented Dec, 30, 1919.

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SOLE PHESSING MACHINE.

APPLXCATION FILED 'JULY I. 1916.

Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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. SOLE PBESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 1, ms.

1,326,489. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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miness E. E. FOSTER.

SOLE PBESSING MACHINE. APPLICAYIION FILED JULY l. l9l6.

1,326,489. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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SOLE PRESSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1916.

1,326,489. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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EDWARD E. FOEZTER, G]? BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION", OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF. NEW JERSEY.

SOLE-PRESSING MACHINE.

Application filed July 1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD E. Fosrniua citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of lVlassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sole-Pressing lilaehines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sole pressing machines which are employed for laying and leveling shoe soles.

In the progressive pressure, sole pressing machine shown in the patent to Mayo, No. 1,1 l6,34l, dated July 13, 1915, sole pressing pad is employed which is made up in sections. The sections of the pad are attached to a rotary drum on which the pad is wound and from which it is unwound when removing and applying the pad to the sole of a shoe. This type of pad is expensive to manufacture and diiiicult to properly shape for treating diflerent kinds of shoes. also, the junction between the sections has a tendency to make marks on the sole when a heavy pressure applied to the pad. In applying the pad to the sole, the sections are progressively brought into operative position, and this progressive movement often tends to displace the sole on the shoe.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a progressive pressure, sole pressing machine wiich will overcome the objectionable features mentioned above, and which will accurately and effectively lay and level the soles of shoes.

in accordance with this object, one feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a progressive pressure, sole press ing machine, of a continuous sole pressing form which may be initially applied to cover the'entire surface of the sole simultaneously. In the preferred form of the invention, the sole pressing form consists of a yieldable pad for laying soles which is mounted on a flexible carrier. The carrier is suspended between the machine frame and apad applying frame, and the pad applying frame is oscillated in placing the pad upon and removing it from the sole of a shoe. The pad applying frame is actuated by a pres- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 107,154.

sure cradle which carries a series of rollers that move across a flange on the sides of the carier to apply pressure only outside of the edges of a sole.

Another object of the invetion is to provlde a driving mechanism for a sole pressing machine having two sets of forms and jacks by which any desired pressing movement of the sets can be obtained.

l Vith this object in View, another feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a sole pressing machine having two sets of forms and jacks with a separate driving mechanism for each, of means for independently connecting each set with its driving mechanism, and means for simultaneously connecting both sets with their driving mechanisms. lVith this construction, each set may be operated independently of the other, and the two sets may be operated together so as to move into pressure relation either alternately or at the same time.

Other features of the invention consist in certain features of construction and combinations of parts which arehereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in side elevation showing progressive pressure, sole laying machine embodying the preferred form of the invention; Fig. :2 is a View in front elevation of the upper portion of the sole-laying machine showing the portion of the pressing form when removed from the shoe; Fig. 3 is av view in side elevation, partly in section, of the parts shown in 2; Fig. l is a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing the pressing form in pressure position upon the shoe; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the machine, the jacks and pressing forms being removed; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing the clutch controlling shaft; Fig. 7 is a side elevation, Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view, and Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the flexible carrier for the sole pressing pad; Fig. 10 is a side elevation, and Fig. 11 is a plan view of the sole pressing pad.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated as embodied in a progressive pressure, sole-laying machine of the type shown in the patent to Mayo above referred to. In laying soles with this machine, a lasted shoe is supported upon the jack, a sole is placed above the shoe and held in position by a sole locating device, and then the pressing form is brought down into contact with the sole, and pressure is progressively applied to the upper surface of the form.

Since the machine includes two separate sets of jacks and cooperating pressing forms, as well as their actuating devices, which have a substantially identical construction, only a single set will be described in detail.

The shoe supporting jack, 1, 3 and 4, consists of a heel post 20, and a toerest 22, which are adjusta-bly mounted to move toward and away from one another upon a bedplate 24. The adjustment of the heel post and toe rest for different sizes of lasts, is made by means of a hand screw 26 which is held in the bedplate and threaded through blocks secured to the bottom of the heel post and toe rest. To adapt the jack for treating different styles and sizes of lasts. the bedplateQ l is mounted upon a screw 28 which passes into the machine frame. A nut is threaded on the screw and held in position upon the machine frame by means of a pair of clips 30 which engage a flange 32 on the bottom of the nut. By this means, the jack may be vertically adjusted to any desired position.

When the lasted shoe is placed upon the jack, the bottom face of the sole is up so that the operative cannot see the relation of the sole to the upper. For this reason a sole locating mechanism is employed to accurately position the sole upon the bottom of the shoe; The sole locating mechanism, Figs, 1, 2, 3 and 4, consistsof a cries of gages which surround the lasted shoe and have an upper engaging face and asole locating face. The gages 3a are telescopically mounted in carriers 36 which are rotatably mounted upon shafts 38 at the sides and back of the aclr. The gage carriers are connected together by springs 40 which nor 'mally tend to hold the pressed against the shoe upper. When placing a shoe upon the jack, the gages are spread away from the jack by means of a foot treadle 42 which isconnected by means of a linksl and lever as with the shaft 38 at the baclr of the jack.

The shafts 38 are all geared together, so"

thata single movement of-the treadle will simultaneouslyspread all of the gages. The sole engaging faces of the gages are normally projected above the bottom of the shoe byineans of springs which are mounted in "the carriers at the base of'the gages. These gages projecting above the bottom of the sole, form a receptacle into which a sole may 7 be readily inserted. In locating the sole,

the operative merely forces the sole against the gage at the heel end of the shoe, and the springs connecting the gages tend to center it and properly locate it with reference to the shoe upper. When the pressin form is brought down to lay the sole, it first engages the sole locating faces of the gages and forces them down across the edge of the sole, until the tops of the gages are flush with the surface of the sole. The gage faces always remain in contact with the sole and tend to hold it in proper position.

The sole pressing form illustrated in the drawings is a pad for laying soles, and consists of a yieldable pad 48 which is attached to a flexible carrier 50. The front end of the carrier is mounted in a pad-applying frame 52, and the rear end of the carrier is pivotally connected with an anchor post 5st which is mounted upon the jack bedplate 2a. The

pad 48 is a continuous single strip of material, usually rubber, and when not in pressure position on the sole, it is held suspended above the sole by the pad-applying frame. The pad-applying frame 52, Figs. 3, f and 5,

consists of a pair of side arms 56 which are tied together at their forward ends by a bar 58. The rear ends of the arms 56 are pivoted at one side to a side column 60 and at the other side to a central column 62 of the machine frame. The pad-applying frame is positively oscillated toward and from the shoe in applying and removingthe pad from a sole. The pivots of the pad-applying frame and pivot of thepad carrier on the anchor post 54: are substantially concentric, so that the carrier and frame swing together.

The pad carrier Figs. T, 8 and 9, consists of a series of metal sections 6% which have overlapping lugs 66 that are pivoted together by means of headed pins 68. The lugs 66 and the flanges 71 are formed below the upper face of the section 64: to bring the axes of the pivot pins 68 approzri nately in line with the pressing face of thepad 468. With thiseonstruction the bending of the carrier, when applying the pad to the sole of a shoe, is facilitated because the pivotal ,axis of the carrier sections approximately coincides with the upper face of the sole. Further, the pressure whichlsplaced on the sole is applied to the flanges 71 in orde'r'to apply the pressure as closely aspossible to the line of the upper face of the sole. Each section is hollow and has a cushion flange 70 at its rear endand pressure flanges 71st each side. In the hollow portion'ofthe sections is cemented a cushion 72, usually leather or other yieldable materiahwhich is held from longitudinal movementby the flanges .70; .The sole-locating pad rests on the cushlons 72 and is" fastened to the end sections of the carrier byineans of bolts" 73 which pass through the pad andare threaded ward end of the carrier is mounted upon a rod 7 at which is secured in blocks 7 6 that are slidably mounted in guides 7 8 formed in the side arms 56 of the pad-applying frame. The rear section of the pad carrier is socured to a rod 80 which is mounted in a yoke 82 that is pinned to the upper end of a plunger 84 swiveled in the anchor post 54:. The plunger 84 is yieldingly supported in the post 5 1 upon a spring 86 which is pressed against an adjusting nut in the bottom of the post. The yielding mounting of the plunger 8i provides for the correct positioning of the pad upon the heel end of the shoe, and allows the rear end of the carrier to yield when pressure is applied in laying the sole. The blocks 76 in the side arms of the pad-applying frame are arranged to yield against springs 88 which are mounted between the ends of the blocks 7 6 and ad justing screws 90. This construction per mits a relative movement of the pad and carrier so that the pad may be properly positioned upon the sole. The position of the pad 4-8 longitudinally of the shoe may be varied by adjusting the post 51 on the bedplate 2 1-. The movable mounting of the forward end of the pad carrier also provides for the longitudinal adjustment of the pad carrier.

The pad-applying frame is oscillated, in placing the pad upon a sole and withdrawing it from the sole, by the operation of a pressure cradle which is oscillated back and forth across the shoe to place a rolling pressure upon the pad carrier. The pressure cradle, Figs. 3 and 5, consists of a pair of sectors 92 formed on the hubs 94 which are pivoted on a shaft 96 fixed to the machine frame. The arc-shaped extremities of the sectors are secured together in a spaced relation by means of tie rods 98, and are arranged to move back and forth across the jack between the side arms 56 of the padapplying frame. An arm 100 projects rearwardly from each of the sector hubs 94: and these arms are connected by means of a link .102 with a crank 104 on the main driving shaft 106. Upon the forward ends of the sectors are mounted rolls 108 which project into cam grooves 110 formed on the inner sid of the side arms 56 of the pad-apply ing frame. The cam grooves 110 have asharp turn at their rear end so that in the first portion of the forward movement of the pressure cradle, the rolls 108 will rotate the pad-applying frame about its axis and quickly place the pad' simultaneously upon the entire surface of the sole. After the pad is placed on the sole, the rolls 108 travel in the forward portions of the cam grooves 110. which have a shape substantially the same as that of the top of the last, and serve to draw the pad tightly down upon the sole as the cradle moves across the shoe. In the return movement of the cradle, the form will remain upon the sole until the rollers 108 come to th rear ends of the cam grooves 1.10, when the pad-applying frame will be quickly lifted to carry the pad off of the sole.

i /hen the pressure cradle is moved forward into active position, a progressive roll ing pressure is applied to the outer edges of the pad carrier. To this end a series of pressing rolls are movably mounted in a series of radial slots 112 formed in. the arcshaped extremities of the sectors 92. The pressing rolls consist of a plurality of pairs of circular disks 114:, each pair of disks being formed upon a shaft 116. The ends of each shaft 116 project outwardly beyond the disks 114, and are journaled in blocks 118 which are slidably mounted in the slots 112. The blocks are pressed toward the bottom of the slots by means of a series of springs 120 which are mounted between the blocks 118 and adjusting screws 122. By an adjustment of the springs 120, the pressure of each roll can be varied independently of the other, to vary the pressure applied at different portions of the sole. hen the disks 114; travel across the carrier 50, they roll over the pressure flanges 71 formed on the carrier, and pressure is applied only at the edges of the carrier which are outside of the edges of the sole. In this way, pressure is not applied directly to the sole but is imparted to the sole through the cushions 7'2 and pad 48.

The two sets of sole supporting acks and cooperating sole pressing forms have independent driving mechanisms, and are arranged to be independently connected with their driving mechanisms. The driving clutches and the devices for connecting the clutches for driving the forms are substantially the same as those shown in the patent to Mayo, No. 861,746, granted July 30, 1907. These clutch-connecting devices have the usual clutch-controlling levers 124 which are mounted upon clutch-controlling shafts 126 journaled in the machine frame (Figs. 1, 5 and 6). To connect the clutch so that a form may be operated the controlling lever 124 is oscillated in a counterclockwise direction. W hen the lever 124 is oscillated a roll 128 mounted on its forward end is received from one of a pair of stopping notches 130 formed in a cam disk 131 which is secured upon the end of the main driving shaft 106. The clutch-controlling lever is oscillated by means of a foot treadle 132 which is attached to a rod 134 (Figs. 1 and 5) extending from the front to the rear of the machine. The rod carries a cam 15% which works against a roll 138 on the outer end of the controlling lever 1.2 1. When the treadle 132 is pushed down, the cam 136 raises the roll 138, and moves the control ling lever 12d against the action of a spring 140, todraw the roll 128 out of a notch 130 on the cam disk. At the same time the clutch is connected to turn the main shaft 106. After the main shaft has commenced to rotate, the treadle 132 may be released, and the roll 128 on the controlling lever will rest uponthe pe 'iphery of the cam disk 131 while the'main shaft continues to rotate. it will be noted that the stopping notches 130 in the cam disk are diametrically opposed, so that the main driving shaft will only make one-half of arevolution, when the controlling lever will be automatically drawn into a notch 130 by the spring 1 10 to disconnect the clutch and stop the form. -While the main driving shaft is making onehalf a revolution, the pressure cradle is moved from an inactive position. to an active or pressure position, oris moved from an active position to an inactive position.

The treadle actuated cams 136 for operat ing the controlling levers are interconnected by means ofa link 1&2 so that when one of the treadles 132 is depressed to connect the corresponding form with the driving mechanism, the opposite treadle is elevated above neutral position in the manner shown clearly in Mayo Patent No. 861,746 above referred to. In the present machine mechanism is provided for returning both treadles to a neutral position as soon as the pressure upon one of the treadles is relieved. To this end a pair of spring pressed plungers 144 are mounted in brackets 14:6 attached to the front of the machine frame immediately above the treadles 132. When one of the treadlcs has been elevated above neutral position owing to the depression of the opposite treadle the plunger tends to return it to' neutral position when the pressure upon the opposite treadle is released. This immediately returns the cams 136 to a neutral or inoperative position and permits the roll 128 to drop into one of the recesses 130 after the shaft 106 has made onerhalf a.'revo lution. If the form isout of iressin )osition when the treadie is initially depressed the machine will stop with the form located inoressinb' ocsition and in order to move the formback out of pressing position it is necessary to again depress the treadle and start the machine. The manipulation ofone treadle does not affect the operationof the other form so. that each treadle inc epende-itly operates its respective form.

r In order to cause the simultaneous operation of both forms at once the shaft 1&8 (see Fig. 6) is arranged to be locked from ,movement with the clutch controlling shafts 126. live shaft 148 is mounted concentrically with the shafts 126 7 between. sleeves 150 ,which are pinned to the ends of the shafts 126; The sleeves 150 have a clutch slot 152 into-which project teeth 154 on sleeves 156, which are pinned on the shaft 148. The

surface. of the sole simultaneously,

length of the slot 152 is greater than the corresponding length of the teeth 15% so that the clutch controlling shafts 126 may be independently oscillated when the forms are connected with their respective driving mechanisms through the treadles 132. An oscillatory movement of the shaft 1&8, however, will serve to rotate both of the shafts 126 simultaneously and move both controlling levers 12a to connect the two forms with the driving mechanism. The shaft 148 is operated by means of a foot treadle 158 which is pinned to the shaft 1&8 and pro jects forwardly to the front of the machine. This treadle is normally held in elevated position by means of a spring 160 which is connected between the treadle and the ma chine frame and when the treadle is in elevated position the teeth 154 of the shaft clutches are held in a position to allow the clutch controlling levers 12% to be independently operated.

With this arrangement, when the treadlo 158 employed, both jacks are connected simultaneously to the driving mechanism and are respectively moved into and out of pressing position; but if it is desired to operate one form independently of the other, the separate treadles 132 are employed. By using these separate treadles one shoe may be subjected to repeated pressures under the action of the forms or remain for a longer period under pressure if so des' ed while a number of shoes are acted upon by the opposite form.

Although the invention has been described as embodied in a soledaying machine, obviously it may be embodied in any type of sole-pressing machine, and except as defined by the claims, tne invention is not limited to any specific type of solo pressing machine.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new is:

1. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a continuous sole pressing form, a shoe supporting jack, means for securing a. relative actuation of the jack and form to apply the form to the entire and means to apply a pressure to the form which progresses from end to end of the form.

2. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a continuous sole pressing -form, a shoe supporting-jack, means for se- W curing a relative actuation of the jack and form to apply the form to the entire surface of the sole simultaneously, and means for applying a rolling pressure to the form;

ZBJA sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supportingack, a continuous sole pressing pad, a flexible carrier" for the pad, nean's for securing a relative actuation of the jack and carrier to apply the pad simultaneously to the entire surface of the solo, and means to apply an additional pressure on the pad.

1. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a continuous sole pressing pad, a flexible carrier for the pad anchored at one end to the machine frame, a pad applying frame supporting the other end of the carrier, means for actuating the pad applying frame to place the pad upon and withdraw it from the sole of a shoe upon the jack, and means to apply pressure to the pad.

5. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a continuous sole pressing form, means for securing a relative actuation of the jack and form to apply the form to the sole of a shoe, and means for applying pressure to the sides of the form beyond the marginal portion of the sole.

6. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a sole pressing form, means for securing a relative actuation of the form and jack to apply the form to the surface of the sole, and means for applying a rolling pressure to the form below its upper face.

7. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a sole pressing form, means for securing a relative actuation of the jack and form to apply the form to the sole of a shoe, and means for applying a progressive pressure to the form below its upper face.

8. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, two sets of shoe supporting jacks and cooperating sole pressing forms, a driving mechanism for relatively actuating each form and jack, a source of power devices for connecting each driving mechanism separately with the source of power, and means for holding the connecting devices in a neutral inoperative position.

9. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, two sets of shoe supporting jacks and cooperating sole pressing forms, a driving mechanism for relatively actuating each form and jack, a source of power, a device and an operating treadle thereof for separately connecting each driving mechanism with the source of power, and means for simultaneously comiecting both driving mechanisms with the source of power.

10. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, two sets of shoe supporting jacks and cooperating sole pressing forms, a driving mechanism for relatively actuating each form and jack, a source of power, devices for connecting each driving mechanism separately with the source of power, means for simultaneously connecting both jacks and forms with the source of power, and means to normally hold said connecting devices in neutral inoperative position.

11. A sole pressing machine having, in

combination, two sets of shoe supporting jacks and cooperating sole pressing forms, a driving mechanism for relatively actuating each form and jack, a source of power, means for independently connecting each driving mechanism with the source of power, a treadle and a controlling lever for each mechanism, each lever being mounted on an independent controlling shaft, and means for operating both of the shafts simultaneously to connect both driving mechanisms to the source of power.

12. A sole pressing machine having in combination, two sets of shoe supporting jacks and cooperating sole pressing forms, a driving mechanism for relatively actuating each form and jack, a source of power, treadle operated devices for independently connecting each driving mechanism with the source of power, connections between the treadle operated devices, treadle operated mechanism for simultaneously connecting both driving mechanisms with the source of power, and means for holding said treadle operated devices in a neutral position.

13. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a. shoe supporting jack, a pad applying frame, a continuous sole pressing pad suspended between the machine frame and the pad applying frame, and means to operate the pad applying frame to place the pad upon the sole of a shoe and apply pressure to the pad.

1%. A sole pressing machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a pad applying frame mounted to swing over the jack, a pressure cradle mounted to swing over the jack, a continuous pad mounted on a flexible carrier suspended from the pad applying frame, connections between the cradle and pad applying frame, and means to operate the cradle to place the pad on the sole of a shoe and apply pressure to the pad.

15. The combination of a shoe supporting jack, a continuous sole pressing pad, a flexible carrier formed in sections for supporting the pad, means for oscillating the carrier to move the pad into and out of contact with a sole supported on the jack, and means to apply pressure to the carrier to press the sole.

16. The combination of a shoe supporting jack, a carrier built up of hollow sections, a cushion in each section, a continuous sole pressing pad attached to the carrier and resting on said cushions, means for moving the pad into and out of contact with a sole sup ported on the jack, and means to apply pressure to the carrier.

17. The combination of a shoe supporting jack, a carrier built up of hollow sections, a cushion in each section, a pad attached to the carrier and resting on said cushions, a pressing flange on each side of said sections, means to move "the pad into and out of corn porting jack, a continuous sole pressing form, a form applying frame, a yielding connection between the form applylng frame and the form, a pivotal connection between the form and the machine frame, and means to operate the form applying frame and apply pressure to the form.

EDWARD E. FOSTER. 

